emergency preparedness News

Critics Blast Oregon Repeal of Tsunami-Zone Building Ban

NEWPORT, Ore. — With sunlight sparkling off surrounding Yaquina Bay, workers are putting up an ocean-studies building, smack in the middle of an area expected to one day be hit by a tsunami. Experts say it’s only a matter of …

Puerto Rico Unveils New Emergency Preparation Plans

Puerto Rico’s governor said Tuesday that his administration has adopted new measures to better prepare for a disaster like Hurricane Maria although he warned of limitations given the U.S. territory’s economic crisis. Gov. Ricardo Rossello said two warehouses filled with …

Hospitals Struggled During Superstorm Sandy

When Superstorm Sandy slammed into the Northeast nearly two years ago, hospitals found themselves dealing with surges in patients, lost power supplies and employees who couldn’t get to work – problems that a new federal report finds they were not …

Sandy-Spawned Snow Was Wake-Up Call in Western Maryland

The mountain dwellers of far western Maryland know a lot about snow, but a crippling blizzard spawned last year by Superstorm Sandy taught them a painful lesson in emergency preparedness. Scattershot planning and outdated communications gear caused confusion and delays …

New Mobile Website Available in Illinois Emergencies

Illinoisans can now use their smartphones or tablets to get information on emergency preparedness or where to get help in a disaster. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says it has activated a new mobile version of its Ready Illinois website. …

Oregon City Fears Isolation After Major Earthquake

Officials in Medford, Ore., say an emerging state plan for recovering from a major earthquake would keep their region isolated for a lengthy period because repair efforts to get traffic moving north-south would be focused east of the Cascade Range. …